Lalu tit-for-tat for ews channels

RJD chief Lalu Prasad has a love-hate relationship with the media, especially with the members of the electronic media. Recently, a member of a newly launched channel asked Lalu to allow him to record his ashirwachan (good wishes) for the channel. Lalu refused. “Ask your owner to come to me. I will give my ashirwachan to him,” Lalu retorted.

Earlier, a national channel had got Lalu to record his good wishes for the channel. Lalu went on: “The pictures of this channel are always hazy. Its news has no credit...” The shocked mediaperson asked Lalu why was he saying only negative things about the channel. “You keep beaming negative stories about me,” Lalu had retorted.

Better early than sorry

RJD boss Lalu Prasad had given 10am as the time to hoist the Tricolour at his home on January 26. However, as leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Abdul Bari Siddiqui, RJD MP Ram Kripal Yadav and others reached Lalu’s home at 10 Circular Road, they found Lalu had hoisted the flag at 9.30am and was eating jalebis. “Saheb got impatient and hoisted the flag. Only state RJD chief Ram Chandra Purbey was present,” the RJD leaders were told. At the time Lalu was in power, he had got into a controversy during the flag hoisting ceremony held at Gandhi Maidan on January 26. He did not stand up as the National Anthem was played for the second time and earned the wrath of the Opposition. “Since then Lalu has been very particular with the rituals that are to be followed during hoisting the national flag,” said an RJD leader. The only trouble for him now is he has to carry out these rituals without the crowds.

Switching loyalty

A dissident JD (U) leader facing the party’s disciplinary committee for his alleged anti-party role during the Assembly elections left the panel members speechless with his question. “You people are expelling us from the party because we campaigned against the official candidate. Basisth Narayan Singh has been elevated to the post of state party president despite the fact that he had campaigned against the official candidate in the bypoll for a Lok Sabha seat a few years ago,” the dissident leader told the panel members. It was a painful reminder for the panel members that their state chief had actually backed the RJD candidate in the bypoll for Vikramganj Lok Sabha seat in 2007. The JD (U) candidate, Meena Singh, had won despite Singh’s opposition. Ironically, Meena is one of the MPs facing the charge of working against the official candidates of the JD (U) in the Assembly polls. Looks like it is a game of fluctuating loyalties.

Different rulebooks

A traffic constable refused to let a motorcyclist enter a one-way road recently. The motorcyclist, who had to go to an office on the road, started arguing with the constable. Meanwhile, a vehicle with a beacon whizzed past and entered the one-way road from the wrong direction. The traffic constable gave a salute to the passing car, leaving the motorcyclist amazed. The constable told the motorcyclist: “I know I should not have allowed the vehicle to enter the road. But this fellow is a VVIP. There are different rules for them.” And the motorcyclist was forced to follow the rules of the book.